This summer, 22 members of the Overgaag family trekked to the Netherlands to visit their ancestral home where a couple of well-known California grower-shippers can trace their beginnings.

CHARLESTON, SC — At the end of a morning-long set of drills on a hot mid-August day, new head football coach Mike Houston called the 95 sweat-drenched players together on the 20-yard-line at Willson Field here, where the Citadel Bulldogs are holding their summer camp.

“We’ve got a real treat for you today, courtesy of the South Carolina Watermelon Association,” he announced. “All the watermelon you can eat.”

Michigan’s apple growers appear to be hitting consecutive grand slams.

The 2013 crop was one of the largest fresh-market apple crops that Michigan has seen. According to USDA figures released July 11, 2014, the 2013 Michigan apple crop was 30 million bushels. Of that, 29.7 million were harvested.

The Michigan industry’s early and unofficial estimates indicate 2014 apple volume may be as big.

Donald Slot recently joined The Oppenheimer Group as it’s new Toronto-based sales representative where he will market the company’s full assortment to Eastern Canadian customers.

This August “Wholly Guacamole” brand’s Spicy Homestyle flavor of guacamole will become available in a two-ounce package. Tara Murray, the senior marketing manager for Fresherized Foods, based in Ft. Worth, TX, said the Spicy Homestyle has been “a very successful guacamole flavor in our eight-ounce and 16-ounce trays.”

Wholly Guacamole has long flourished with its eight- and 16-ounce packs of guacamole. But in the year since Fresherized introduced the two-ounce serving of various guacamole flavors, the brand has taken another step forward, according to Murray.

Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is introducing some new pear packaging options this season.